5.3 Computing Bias

Enduring Understanding

While computing innovations are typically designed to achieve a specific purpose, they may have unintended consequences.

Learning Objective

Explain how bias exists in computing innovations.

Essential Knowledge

Computing innovations can reflect existing human biases because of biases written into the algorithms or biases in the data used by the innovation.

Programmers should take action to reduce bias in algorithms used for computing innovations as a way of combating existing human biases.

Biases can be embedded at all levels of software development.